Conundrum

Do vegans wear wool?

I mean, I know the answer: no, because it's an animal product, and they are opposed on principal to utilizing them. But I feel they should. Sheep, due to human tampering with their genetics, now require human intervention in order to help them live. Their coats have been bred to be too think and luscious, and without shearing they will swelter in the heat and die. So not only is human shearing good for sheep, it's saving their lives.

But that's only an argument for shearing, not fashion. But I ask: if you must shear them for their own good, it must be ok to wear their fur. It would just go to waste otherwise. I really get why people avoid eating animals, and the environmental hazard caused by for-slaughter meat production. But I mean, wouldn't it therefore be fine to eat a cow that died of old age? It lived out its life, and now has no opinion one way or the other. Because I can envision a scenario in which I could see it as acceptable to use or consume animal products ethically, I cannot view either viewpoint as completely good or evil.

I freely admit, it has been much easier than I thought possible to make the switch. I could conceivable live the rest of my life without ever eating meat again and be completely happy. But I would never want to give up animal products entirely, presuming they are ethically raised. It is simply too hard, and requires far too much vigilance to commit to for a lifetime. I'm willing to bet even the strictest vegan has moments of lapsed judgement where they have a surreptitious cheese pizza, or dessert made with butter or cream. It is easy to make a judgement call and say killing animals is wrong, period. I think it's a lot harder to justify if the animal is still alive.